Woman killed, 5 injured in central London knife attackAugust 4, 2016 - 10:17 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - One woman was killed and five others injured by a man with suspected mental health issues who went on the rampage with a knife in central London, an attack police said could be linked to terrorism, Reuters reports. Armed police were called at 10:33 p.m. (2133 GMT) after a man armed with a knife started to attack people in London's Russell Square, a park near the site of a 2005 suicide bombing. "Early indications suggest that mental health is a significant factor in this case and that is one major line of inquiry," London Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley told reporters. "But of course at this stage we should keep an open mind regarding motive and consequently terrorism as a motivation remains but one line of inquiry for us to explore," said Rowley, who is Britain's most senior anti-terrorism officer. Police, who arrived within 5 minutes of being called, used a Taser electric shock gun while arresting the 19-year-old suspect. The investigation is being handled by the homicide command with support from the counter-terrorism officers, Rowley said. The woman was treated at the scene but was pronounced dead a short time later. The other injured people - one woman and four men - are being treated, Rowley said. The southern part of the square, which sits at the heart of London's university area, was cordoned off by police. A forensic tent had been erected on the pavement, the scene of the attack, Reuters said. The threat level in Britain remains at "severe", its second highest level, meaning a strike was "highly likely". London police had already promised to deploy more armed offices after a spate of deadly attacks in other European countries. Police chiefs and security bosses have repeatedly warned that Islamic State fighters want to carry out attacks against Britain, a close ally of the United States. London police said on Wednesday, August 3 they would deploy an additional 600 armed officers across the capital to protect against the threat of attacks. Rowley has previously warned that Islamic State was seeking to radicalize vulnerable people with mental health issues to carry out attacks. He said that, in some operations, police commanders have taken advice from specialist psychologists. London was hit by coordinated suicide bombings on July 7, 2005, when four Islamist extremists targeted three underground trains and one bus, killing 52 people. One of the bombs was detonated on an underground train traveling between Kings Cross and Russell Square. Since then, dozens of plots have been foiled and there have been smaller-scale attacks, such as the killing of an off-duty soldier on a street in south London by two extremists in May 2013. "Londoners will wake up and in the morning they will notice an increased police presence on the streets, including armed officers," Rowley said. "This is there to provide reassurance and safety. We ask the public to remain calm, vigilant and alert," he said. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Ucom Celebrates Telecommunication Day May 17 commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on May 17, 1865. Armenian, Azerbaijani heads of parliament meet in Switzerland President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova. Border residents overnight on highway to protest Armenia’s Residents of Kirants continue to express outrage over the government’s decision to cede land to Azerbaijan. Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. |